Seniors say goodbye at final home meet

Tonight marks a sad goodbye for seniors Mike Simpson and Pat DeGain as they take the mat at University Gym for the last time.\nThe Hoosiers take on Purdue at 7 p.m. tonight. Sunday will be their final regular season meet as IU travels to Iowa for a showdown with the Hawkeyes.\nBoth have had years marked by missed time -- Simpson missed several weeks with a head injury and the flu, and DeGain has missed the last two weekends of competition with an injured shoulder. Both wrestlers stressed their desires to get one last victory in front of the Hoosier faithful.\n"The way I go out is more important than any dual meet in the last two years," Simpson said. "It's great to beat Purdue anywhere, but at home would be the best."\nDeGain will be stepping back into the circle for the first time since injuring his shoulder in the dual meet against Ohio State. He tried to go last weekend, but wasn't given clearance by the team and was forced to watch from the sidelines. \n"I'm just ready to wrestle," DeGain said, attempting to contain three weeks of pent-up energy. "It's going to be like my second and final debut."\nThe Hoosiers will be trying to rebound from last weekend's shutout loss to Illinois, as well as snap a two-match losing streak to the Boilermakers. Five starters missed the Illinois match to rest and nurse injuries, though coach Duane Goldman expects to have his 10 best wrestlers out this weekend.\n"We got to go with what we've got," Goldman said. "We just need to work to prepare for the Big Ten tournament."\nSunday IU will face No. 9 Iowa, the reigning Big Ten champions and traditionally one of the top wrestling programs in the country. Indiana hasn't beaten the Hawkeyes since they did it twice in 1967, owning a 3-27-3 record in the all-time series.\nThere will be two matches between ranked opponents. Fourth-ranked DeGain will take on eighth-ranked freshman Matt Fields in a battle of heavyweights. No. 16 Simpson will wrestle No. 15 Alex Tsirtsis, which will be a rematch from the Midlands Championships, a contest Simpson won 5-3. Simpson suffered his head injury om that match, forcing him to forfeit in the final round.\nFollowing this weekend the Hoosiers will have two weeks off before they travel back to Iowa City to compete in the Big Ten Championships.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Andrew \nPetersen at andpeter@indiana.edu.